30 clever and practical high school graduation gifts for him

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Graduating from high school is one of the first major life events that feels appropriately "major."

For many, it signifies a new life chapter: moving out of your parent's house and the neighborhood and town which you know and knows you, and leaving that behind to grow up a bit and test yourself against the new hurdles down the road.

It's also a time when the requirements for the scary and exciting years to come likely outstrip his budget. When I graduated high school, the money I made at the upscale pizza restaurant in town didn't seem adequate for textbooks and the simple pleasures, like nice headphones to block out noise in the library, or more adult accessories like a nice messenger bag or office-appropriate backpack.

The good news there is that gifts for high school students — be they thoughtful or practical or both — are of disproportionate value, and if you're in a position to give one, you can be sure he'll be grateful. With that in mind, I've rounded up 30 thoughtful and practical high school graduation gifts for him below.

If you're looking for more graduation gift ideas this spring, we have you covered:

A nice watch as an adult accessory

MVMT

Traditional watches can be expensive, but startups are changing that. MVMT is probably the best-known watch industry disruptor. If you'd like to read more about the company, we've covered them in depth here.

You can get the sort of classic, work-appropriate accessory that makes outfits look a bit more competent and established for as little as $105, and he'll be happy he didn't have to shell out for this small but meaningful luxury. It'll likely come in handy for his first internship.

A Birchbox subscription

Birchbox

In general, subscriptions are some of the best gifts that you can give. A monthly treat, especially on a tight budget, can be a really nice thing to look forward to.

Birchbox is one of our favorite subscriptions out there, and one uniquely well-suited for graduates. It combines monthly deliveries of small personalized samples and an easy-to-use e-commerce shop. His box will have four grooming samples (like nice aftershave, body wash, or even cologne), plus a cool accessory or gadget each time.

For him, you can gift a man's subscription for 3 months for $60, 6 months for $110, or a full 12 months for $220.

An Amazon Prime membership

An annual Amazon Prime membership is one of those things that immediately makes life easier and ultimately better. If you decide to gift one, the recipient will enjoy free two-day shipping; access to the Prime Now app, which provides free two-hour delivery on tens of thousands of items; Prime Video, Amazon's streaming video service; Prime Music; the Kindle Lending Library; Prime Reading; Prime Audible Channels; unlimited photo storage, and more.

If you want to see how Amazon Prime ($99 for the year) actually gives you a lot more than free shipping, you can read our overview of the service here. Especially if he's planning on ordering anything for his dorm on Amazon (or books for school) he's going to save a lot of money in shipping just by using this.

A nice toiletry bag, which you can monogram for him

Leatherology

If he's heading to college, his freshman year will almost undoubtedly feature many trips from his dorm room to a communal bathroom. A nice toiletry bag makes it easier to schlep everything at once, and it looks a lot nicer than one of those plastic caddies.

If you're not looking to spend that much, consider this less expensive option ($35) made by another one of our favorite companies to watch. It's unisex and made out of neoprene, the spongy luxe material you'd find in scuba gear.

A smart suitcase which will charge devices and has 360° wheels

Away Instagram

This suitcase has become extremely popular for a reason. It's pretty much unbreakable, has an ejectable battery built-in to charge all devices, has smarter 360° wheels for a smooth ride, and comes in tons of on-trend colors. Especially if he's headed more than a car's drive away after high school, he'll be extremely grateful for a nice suitcase with which to travel.

A pair of the world's most comfortable shoes

Allbirds

We've covered Allbirds many times at Insider Picks, and for good reason: they might actually be the most comfortable shoes in the world. The originals are all made from Merino Wool, which is not only sustainable but also temperature regulating and extremely soft. He'll probably wear these until the day they finally give out on him, but until then, they're machine-washable and easy to clean.

An extra long lightning charging cable for his phone

Amazon

It might seem like an add-on gift (and maybe it will be for you) but I guarantee he'll appreciate an extra long, extra durable lightning cable to charge his phone with. No matter if he ends up on the bottom or top bunk at the dorm, he won't have to inconvenience himself or buy a new charger every month.

An Amazon Echo (2nd Generation)

Amazon

The Amazon Echo is easy to transport and use, and it can be used as his stereo, alarm, and personal assistant (setting timers, reporting on local weather and traffic, placing orders on Amazon, and reminding him to send an email by 10 AM).

A nice messenger bag he can take to class or the office

Nordstrom

If he has an internship coming down the pipeline (or might like carrying his books around campus in something more upscale than a backpack), a great messenger bag is another helpful value buy. He'll undoubtedly need one and won't want something that looks amateur or breaks two months in, but he's not likely to want to spend $100+ on one himself on a college budget.

A yearlong membership that gives him access to the audio of boutique classes and certified personal trainers

Aaptiv

If he's headed to college, he'll likely get access to the University gym automatically as a student, but anything guided or more arduous might come with a big added expense or tricky logistics.

Aaptiv is a popular app that lets users listen in on thousands of workout classes led by certified personal trainers so they can get the same workout as in a class without paying the exorbitant entry prices or figuring out how to get there without a car on a Sunday afternoon. Especially if he's adjusting to college after playing sports in high school, this is a nice way to have the best of both worlds and get a really great workout. If you want something physical to give him, maybe grab some pre- or post-workout supplements like these plant-based options that nix the chemicals and use nature's superfoods.

A Fitbit Fitness Tracker

Amazon

There's a reason FitBit has become a household name: they work really well, and the features are helpful and cover what the average person cares about.

The Fitbit Charge 2 is the most popular option (and happens to be my personal favorite), and it will track calories burned, miles walked/ran, floors climbed, active minutes in a day, sleep quality, BPM, and show text and email notifications as well as the time.

Go Anywhere joggers made by a startup he'll love

Tommy John

These hyper-comfortable joggers from popular startup Tommy John go anywhere he does: walking the dog, soccer games, long flights, and class. They're quick-drying, moisture-wicking, anti-odorized, and have four-way stretch. They're also tapered, have a drawstring closure, and he can zip or unzip the ankle zipper for more air flow when needed.

A custom map print to remind him of home

Grafomap

Especially if he's leaving home for a new place, it doesn't hurt to give him some cool, low-key decorations for his dorm that will remind him of his hometown (or another special place). It can be tough to find the right decor for an 18-year-old boys room, but this is one you can feel confident about giving. You can the full Insider Picks review here.

An instant coffee maker

Amazon

Coffee is something he might not even drink yet, but almost surely will during the next few years, whether they include a finals week or not. In the mad dash laundry list he's likely to have with his roommates of who is bringing which essential, it doesn't hurt to be the guy who has the coffee maker that promises near-instant gratification. And in case getting K-cups becomes a hassle (or you'd like to do your part to be eco-friendly) grab him some refillable filter options, too.

Another affordable option to consider is Quip (from $25), which has become popular for its low price-point, easy usefulness, and marriage of traditional brush design with the perks of something smarter and electronically powered.

A waterproof speaker that's built to be durable

JBL

This rugged portable Bluetooth speaker should be able to take whatever is thrown at it or, perhaps more accurately, spilled on it in the years to come. He'll be thankful for something convenient, compact, highly-rated, and (above all) durable.

A nice leather wallet, which you can monogram for him

Leatherology

He's probably outgrown the scuffed wallet he has now — and anyway, Velcro doesn't transfer as well to 19 as it did to 12. You can gift him a nice new leather wallet to enter adulthood with, and you can even monogram it for him for added personalization.

An external battery

Amazon

Anyone who has a phone die on them has come to understand how convenient external batteries are. They're less stylish than other gifts, but it's hard to beat how exciting the practicality of them truly is. He's bound to use this countless times, and it might even keep him safer.

A small, powerful speaker that's Amazon Alexa enabled and can be turned into a sound system

Sonos

Sonos makes some pretty great speakers for recent grads. They work well, can be used as a sound system, have useful features like a morning alarm that may sound more pleasant than their phone, and are not so expensive that they can't possibly build upon their collection. If he's planning on entertaining friends, the newest Sonos One is a great option, especially since it now connects with Amazon Alexa. You can read our full review here.

Framed memories he'll appreciate seeing and owning

Framebridge

It doesn't hurt to have a photo of the family or a few of their favorite memories from high school, especially since those are the artifacts that gain importance and value the older we get. This service will take care of printing, matting, and framing for you so you can spend as little time as necessary on the task itself.

An Amazon gift card so he can get whatever he really needs

Amazon

If what you really want to do is just give cash but are looking for a nicer equivalent, an Amazon Gift Card is a subtle way to accomplish the same freedom and utility. Amazon has virtually everything a new grad could desire (really, there is everything), so you know that no matter what they'll be getting something they genuinely want — which, in a lot of cases, is best since they know what they need better than anyone.

Apple AirPod Bluetooth earphones

Maurizio Pesce/Flickr

Whether he commutes or is heading back to school and therefore the library, he's bound to use Bluetooth earbuds a fair amount (especially now that all the new iPhones more or less require Bluetooth headphones for the sake of convenience).

A toolkit, which he'll definitely need in the next four years and beyond

Amazon

Whether he's moving out right away or not, his future will almost certainly include putting together furniture and Googling how to fix a leaky faucet when his landlord avoids his calls. It's not the most strictly "fun" gift, but it will absolutely be necessary. He'll be glad he has the tools to handle whatever life throws at him confidently, and this is one gift he may not immediately buy for himself, but which you really want to have before the very second you need it. He's also going to be a huge help to his friends.

Really nice, noise-cancelling headphones for long commutes or long nights in the library

Bose

Whether it's on his commute, gym time, weekend trips, or just at the library, you can be sure he'll get a lot of use out of these fan-favorite headphones that are incredible for isolating noise. Plus, they'll be something he holds onto for years to come.

A compact backpack he can take to class or internships seamlessly

Incase

Few accessories manage to be as versatile as the backpack — especially this one, which thankfully looks luxe enough to transition from class to internship seamlessly. We tried the Lite version of this and called it the perfect commuter backpack.

It features a padded faux-fur lined laptop compartment for his laptop, a secondary compartment with organizer pockets, and hip-side zippered pockets for easy access to things like his phone on the go.

A Kindle for lightweight, cost-effective reading

Amazon

Whether he loves to read or might appreciate the lightness and compactness of an e-reader, a Kindle is a great gift for recent graduates. He can read in broad daylight without a glare with the Paperwhite version, and store thousands of books for the same forgettable weight.

An iPad for easy, lightweight note-taking or watching shows

Apple

It's up to his personal preference on if he wants to use a laptop in class or not, but it can be a huge blessing to only need to lug around an iPad.

It was also recently announced that the Apple Pencil now works with the regular iPad, letting you easily add diagrams and annotations to your documents without having to import them from separate paid apps. It also means it will be easier than ever to take creative and engaging notes online seamlessly.

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